Is UKIP running out of ways to say sorry for homophobes?
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UKIP appears to be running out of ways to say sorry – after releasing identical statements about two separate instances of homophobia.
This week, leaflets distributed by the ‘Christian Soldiers in UKIP’ group at the party’s spring conference in Margate claimed that the state was allowing “sexual grooming” of primary school children by educating them about the issues.
In a statement released on Friday, UKIP condemned the leaflets, saying: “These groups are authorised but not official, they are mechanisms for members with shared interests to associate but have no official role or status. They do not represent the party or its policies.
“This leaflet was recently brought to our attention. Authorised groups are not allowed to invent UKIP policy, and we do not consider that this leaflet is of an acceptable standard to be associated with the UKIP brand.”
However, the statement appears to be identical to one released by the party about a separate incident nearly a month before – after the same group handed out a leaflet claimed that being gay is a “vice”, and that Manchester Pride is a parade of “wickedness”.
On February 4, UKIP had said: “These groups are authorised but not official, they are mechanisms for members with shared interests to associate but have no official role or status. They do not represent the party or its policies.
“This leaflet was recently brought to our attention. Authorised groups are not allowed to invent UKIP policy, and we do not consider that this leaflet is of an acceptable standard to be associated with the UKIP brand.”
Meanwhile, a statement from LGBTQ* in UKIP – which recently appointed a new leader after former Chair Tom Booker quit the party – has savaged the leaflets.
It says:
In response to the leaflets distributed by members of the group ‘Christian Soldiers’, the members of LBGT* in UKIP are dismayed at the level of ignorance and intolerance demonstrated by these individuals.
Once again it is important to acknowledge that such views are not representative of UKIP and as they are not official spokespeople of UKIP, their views are not shared by the party.
By inciting such hatred to their fellow man, the members of ‘Christian soldiers’ are not only providing disservice to UKIP and the LGBT* community, but also to themselves.
Alongside the chosen passages of the bible of condemnation, that has proven popular by those who wish to subjugate those who are ‘different’, the bible teaches compassion and love toward fellow man:
Matthew 7:1-3
1 ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged.’
2 “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
3 ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?’
John 8:7 ‘He who is without sin can cast the first stone’
A fundamental belief of Christianity is accepting that in Gods eyes we are all sinners, all sin is equal and there no sin that is greater than another. The act of judging those based on sexuality is, by their own text, a sin. Made furthermore by turning people away from God.
In reference to the accusation of ‘grooming’ children due to the inability to reproduce our ‘own kind’ this is an absolutely absurd notion. Considering most LGBT* members were born into a heterosexual environment, therefore this invalidates a correlation between sexuality and nurture.
Educating and encouraging children from a young age to have an open mind and believe that ‘different’ is OK is in fact installing the traditional values and principles commonly associated with Christianity of being a positive and non judgmental member of the community. -
The UKIP chairman for LGBT Affairs has quit because he can't keep defending the political party candidates' homophobia.
